Tina M. Iverson

Tina M. Iverson is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Professor of Biochemistry at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. She is also the Founding Scientific Director of the Vanderbilt High-throughput Biomolecular Crystallization Facility, demonstrating leadership in structural biology infrastructure.

Her research centers on how proteins encode and transmit biological information through conformational changes and molecular recognition. Key areas include:

• Structural mechanisms of bacterial flagellar rotation and switching
• Assembly and function of respiratory complex II
• Activation and signaling of arrestin proteins in mammalian cells
• Molecular basis of host-pathogen recognition

Her lab employs a molecules-to-organisms approach, combining X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM, and functional assays to uncover fundamental principles of cellular signaling. Recent work has revealed structural plasticity in macromolecular complexes and novel enzymatic mechanisms.

Her recent publications (2023–2024) focus on the structural dynamics of the bacterial flagellum and MS-ring complex, highlighting her lab's expertise in high-resolution structural analysis of large, dynamic assemblies. These studies advance understanding of bacterial motility and signal transduction.

Tina Iverson has mentored several graduate students and postdocs, including Nicole Perry, Ivette Perez, and Pankaj Sharma, many of whom have received competitive fellowships such as the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and AHA Postdoctoral Fellowship.

She was promoted to full Professor in 2018 in recognition of her scientific contributions. Her research is supported by institutional and federal funding, and she is affiliated with the Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology (VICB) and the Center for Structural Biology.

The Iverson lab maintains an active research environment with ongoing recruitment of graduate students and collaborations across disciplines.